Leather-splitting machine



No. 626,858. Patented June l3, I899.

A A CHILSON LEATHER SPLITTING MACHINE.

(Application filed Dec. 15. 1898.)

3 Sheets-Sheet I.

(No Model.)

Patentod lune l3, I899.

A, A. CHILSON. LEATHER SPLITTING MACHINE.

(Application filed. Dec. 15, 1898.)

3 shaets shm 2.

(No Model.)

w: nor-ms PETERS 00.. wucn'o-Lrma. wnsumumu. n. C.

No. 626,958. Patented lune |3, I899. A. A. CHILSON. LEATHER SPLITTINGMACHINE.

(Application m Dec. 15. 1898.) (No Model.) 3 Sheets-Shaot 3.

Luv 6085535: floewo ow il dwcpr @Cklbom UNITED STATES PATE T OFFICE.

AMORY A. OHILSON, OF SALEM, MASSACHUSETTS.

LEATHE R-SPL|TT|NG MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 626,858, dated June13,1899.

Application filed December 15, 1898- Serial No. 699,847- (No model.)

To all 1071,0171 it may concern.-

Be it known that 1, AMORY A. OHILsoN, of Salem, county of Essex, Stateof Massachusetts,-have invented an Improvement in Leather-SplittingMachines, of which the following description, in connection with theaccompanying drawings, is a specification, like letters and figures onthe drawings representing like parts.

This invention relates to machines for splitting leather; and it has forits object the production of a machine so constructed that greatuniformity in the product will be attained, with increased life of theknife and grinding mechanism and a much higher efficiency of the machineas a whole.

In the splitting-machines; use the beltknife is set up from timetoltim'e as the edge is ground back, and, thegrinding apparatus must beconstantly'attended' to to attain in even a small degree propergrindingof the knife without improper waste of either the knife or the grinders,and even with highlyskilled labor and constant attention there is veryconsiderable variation in the product, with consequent decrease in itsvalue. Such variations in the work are in the main due to variations inthe knife-edge, either as regards its position relative to thefeed-rolls or its bevel, and to the improper operation of thegrinding-rolls, for it is absolutely necessary, in order to produceuniform work, that the knife be maintained sharp continuously, with itsedge on the same bevel, to thus avoid raising or lowering the edge, andthe latter should travel within a very small fraction of an inch in thesame path, the less the deviation therefrom the better.

Heretofore the knife has been set from time to time by adjusting thesupporting-wheels, and while the grinders are supposed to act on theknife when the machine is running, such action is very variable,beginning with very heavy grinding when the rolls are first set up andrapidly diminishing in force and effect as the grinding proceeds. All ofthese adj ustments have been made by hand, causing loss of time anddecreased output and requiring the highest class of skilled labor toproduce good work, the most careful adjustment frequently failing in itsobject.

In my present invention I have provided means for automatically settingup the knife to maintain its edge in proper position compensating forthe grinding back of the edge, the knife being also maintained in properrelative position to the grinding-rolls, and as the latterwear away orbecome reduced in diameter I have provided means for automaticallymoving the rolls toward each other to compensate for such wear, wherebythe proper bevel of the edge of the knife is preserved throughout thelife of the latter.

While in my invention I am enabled to at any time vary the grindingaction of the rolls, such action will be uniform for any givenadjustment, thus overcoming the gradually-decreasing action of thegrinding rolls now common.

The various novel features of my invention will be hereinafter describedin the specification and particularlypointed out in the claims.

Figure 1 is a front elevation of a sufficient portion of a belt-knifeleather-splitting machine to be understood with one embodiment of myinvention applied thereto. Fig. 2 is a top or plan view of one of theknife-carrying wheels and its bearing. Fig. 3 is a like view of aportion of the gearing shown in Fig. l to more clearly show thevariable-speed device to be described. Fig. I is an enlarged transversesectional view of the machine, taken on the line .2 to, Fig. 1, lookingtoward the left and showing some parts not illustrated in Fig. 1. Fig. 5is an end elevation, and Fig. 6 a longitudinal sectional view, of one ofthe knifewheel shafts, its bearing, and the means for setting up theknife. Fig. 7 is an enlarged plan view, partly in section, of one of theback plates and the setting-up mechanism therefor. Fig. 8 is an enlargeddetail, in rear elevation, of the mechanism for setting up the grinders;and Fig. 9 is a horizontal sectional detail of said mechanism, taken onthe line co'oo, Fig. 8.

The main frame A of the machine, the beam A, the gage-roll B, thesectional ring-. roll B, the rubber roll B supporting the sectionalroll, the backing-roll B over the gage-roll, said rolls B, B, and Bbeing rotated by usual gearing at the end of the machine and not shown,the front and back ring-plates O and O, the bed D to support the knife Kand the back plates, the lower bed D to support the knife while being astates ground, the main driving-shaft D and its belt-pulley D may he andare all of well-known or usual construction in such machinessuch, forinstance, substantially as shown in United States Patent No. 596,440,dated December 28, 1897.

A hand-lever b, Fig. 4:, supported by a bolt 1') in asegmentally-slotted arm b rigidly attached to the main frame, iseccentrically connected by a link li with an arm I)", the latter beingconnected with the shaft of the rubber roll B by means of whichmechanism the said roll maybe thrown into position to adjust thering-roll B in usual manner.

The endless-band knife K is supported and moved by the flangedcarrier-wheels K K Fig. 1, of usual construction; but in my inventionthe said wheels are adjusted in a novel manner, the lateral extensions Aof the main frame carrying the bearin gs for the said Wheels. Thebearings are alike for each wheel; but that one for the Wheel K which isan idler-wheel, is mounted on an adjustable stand 75, Figs. 1 and 2,suitably attached in usual manner to one of the extensions A in order toprovide means for maintaining the band-knife under proper tension. Eachbearing 70 (see Figs. 2, 5,and 6) is bored to receive loosely aneXteriorly-threaded sleeve 70 in which is rotatably mounted the shaft Kof the adjacent carrying-wheel, said sleeve having an external fin orlug 70 to travel in a slot or groove 75* in the bearing to permitlongitudinal movement of the sleeve, while preventing its rotation. Thesleeve is longitudinally movable with the wheel-shaft as it is held inplace between the wheel-hub and suitable check-nuts 7.0 on the end ofthe shaft. A worm-wheel lcflhavin g an intern ally-threaded hub, ismounted on and in engagement with the threaded sleeve between thehearing it and an arm 75, secured to or forming part of the bearing andinterposed between the wheel-hub and the worm-gear to preventlongitudinal movementof the latter relatively to the shaft.

From the foregoing it will be obvious that rotation of the worm-gear 70will effect longitudinal movement of the sleeve and shaft to therebymove the knife-wheel in the direction of the length of its shaft. Theshaft of the knife-wheel K is provided,as shown by dotted lines, Fig. 1,with a bevel-gear D which is in mesh with another bevel-gear D fast onthe driving-shaft D to thus positivcl y rotate the wheel K and drive theknife.

The two wormgears 70 are engaged by worms k on a long setting-up shaft KFig. 1, inoun ted in suitable bearings 70 on the rgu7ne and having fastupon it bevel-gears A counter-shaft K has fast upon it a sprocket-wheel75 connected by a suitable chain It with a smaller sprocket-Wheel 75 onthe shaft B of the rubber roll, whereby the counter-shaft iscontinuously driven during the operation of the machine, but at a lowrate of speed, said counter-shaft carrying a worm 70 in engagement witha worm-wheel m on a transverse shaft m supported in suitable bearings mon the frame, (see Fig. 3,) the shaft m having splined upon it a groovedhub m which in the present instance of my invention has secured to orforming part of it small and large spur-gears m m, respectively, movablelongitudinally of the shaft by means of a suitable han d-lever m, fulcru med at m on the frame. (See Fig. 1.) The spurgears m m are adaptedto be brought in engagem ent singly witha large and a small gear m mrespectively, each fast on a short shaft m to rotate the latter atdifferent speeds, said short shaft having fast upon its outer end abevel-gear m in mesh with the bevel-gear on the setting-up shaft K Bymeans of the mechanism so far described it will be obvious that when themachine is running the setting-up shaft K will be rotated, but at a verylow speed, by or through the connections described between it and theshaft E the latter being rotated in usual manner, and said shaft in turnwill, through the worms k and Worm-gears 7c, operate to grad uallymovethe knife-wheels rearwardly to constantly move the knife-edge toward orto substantially maintain it in a single path of travel, bearing a fixedrelation to the gage and ring rolls.

The bed D is socketed, as at (V, Fig. '7, four of such sockets beingprovided in the machine herein illustrated at right angles to the travelof the knife and to receive each a sliding back plate (1, hearing at itsinner edge against the back of the knife, each plate being provided witha rigidly-attached and outwardly-extended screw-stud d, which passesthrough an interiorly-threaded sleeve (Z enlarged at its inner end androtatablymounted in a supporting-plate d suitably secured to the outerface of the bed D. A thumb-nut d is normally secured to the outer end ofthe sleeve (1 by a set-screw 61 and between said thumb-nut and the plate(i is interposed the hub of'a wormgear d, the latter being also normallysecured to and to rotate with the sleeve by a suitable set-screw (1 sothat rotation of the worm-gear will rotate the sleeve and thereby movethe threaded stud d longitudinally to move the back platetoward or awayfrom the back of the knife. By loosening the set-screw d the back platecan be moved in or out rapidly by means of the thumb-nut d. The severaladjusting-gears d of the back plates are in mesh with worms d on aback-plate-controlling shaft D suitably mounted in bearings 8, Fig. 1,and having an attached bevel-gear d in mesh with a like gear J fast on avertical shaft D supported at one end of the frame, said vertical shafthaving secured to it bevel -gears (Z and (Z As best shown in Fig. 4, abracket 10 on the main frame has a sleeve-like bearing 12 for a shortshaft, to the ends of which beyond the IIC hearing are securedbevelgears 13 and 14 in mesh, respectively, with the bevel-gear c1 ofthe intermediate shaft D and the bevel-gear 7c of the setting-up shaft Kthe rotation of the latter thus imparting rotative movement to theintermediate shaft D which in turn operates to drive theback-plate-controlling shaft D It will be obvious from the foregoingthat as the knife-wheels K K are set up by the mechanism described theback plates also will be correspondingly set up, so that thesupportwhich these plates provide for the back of the knife will bemoved forward to support the back of the knife as the latter is set up,and it is to be understood that this setting-up operation, while ofcourse slow and only sufficient to compensate for the grinding away ofthe edge of the knife, is continuous and automatic.

By disconnecting the variable-speed mechanism shown in Fig. 3 from'thegears on the short shaft m the parts being shown in said figure indisconnected position, the back plates and knife-wheels may be readilyreturned to starting position to receive a new knife or for any otherpurpose by means'of a crank-arm K (shown in dotted lines, Fig. 1,)adapted to be attached to the end of the setting-up shaft K when it isdesired to more rapidly adjust the knife.

It sometimes happens that the edge of the knife will be turned or brokenby encountering some obstruction in the leather, such as a nail orpebble, and in such case it is necessary to grind down the edge untilsuch fault is remedied, and during such grinding in order to hasten theoperation the knife can be set up more rapidly by hand.

The lower bed D is herein shown as provided with back plates (Z two innumber, constructed and operated precisely as are the back plates (1described, said lower back plates being operated by worm-gears (1 (seeFig. 4) in engagement with worms (Z on an actuating-shaft D carried by adepending bracket A secured to the front of the frame, said shaft Dhaving fast upon it a bevel-gear 61 in engagement with a gear D on theintermediate shaft D by which the worm-shaft is driven, so that thelower back plates (Z will be set up against the back of the knife to setthe latter up to the action of the grinding mechanism to be described.

The upper and lower grinding-rolls G H, of usual construction, aremounted, respectively, on shafts 9 h supported in hearings in arms G H,dovetailed to slide vertically on a suitable guideway 20 on the bracketA (best shown in Figs. 8 and 9,) said arms having threaded lugs g h,(sec dotted lines, Figs. 1 and 8, and in plan, Fig. 9,) which engage,respectively, oppositely-threaded shafts E and E, suitably supported inbearings in the bracket A and having fast at their upper and lower ends,respectively, spur gears g 72?. These spur-gears in turn arerespectively in -mesh with gears 9 71,3, normally rigidly secured byset-screws 3 to an upright shaft F, 4

provided with a worm-gear F (see Figs. 8 and 9) in mesh with a worm fona horizontal shaft f mounted in bearings f]" on an arm of the bracket Aand provided at its outer end with a hand-wheel f (see Fig. 4,) saidhand-wheel being omitted in Figs. 1 and S. A bevel-gear f has anelongated hub f extended through the bearing f said hub being secured bya set-screw 4 to the worm-shaft f The bevel-gear f meshes with a similargear 61* on the shaft D from which latter shaft the worm-shaft f isdriven. The grinder-roll shafts g W are rotated by means of a belt Hfrom a pulley H on a suitablydriven counter-shaft H the belt passingaround suitable pulleys G H (see dotted lines, Fig. 4c, and full lines,Fig. l) on the grinder-roll shafts and over an idler-p ulley H suchdriving mechanism for the grinder-rolls being of substantially usualconstruction. Inasmuch as the grinders wear away and become reduced indiameter as they act upon the knife to grind the edge thereof andmaintain it sharp it is necessary to provide means for adjusting thegrinder-rolls and moving them toward each other to compensate for suchwear. In machines as at present constructed this adjustment is effectedby hand, the rolls being set up to bear with considerable force upon theknife-blade at first, and as the grinding progresses the grinding actiondecreases in effect, so that a careful operator must 'be continuallysetting up or adjusting the grinder-rolls. Y

In my present invention I provide means for uniformly and constantlymoving the grinder-rolls toward each other to compensate for wear, and Ialso thereby attain a uniformityof action of the grinder-rolls upon theknife. I

As has been described, the worm-shaftf is rotated by or through theshaft D and through the worm f and worm-gear F the vertical shaft F isrotated very slowly, this shaft in turn rotating in unison theoppositely-threaded shafts E E by means of the spu r-gears g g 713 If.Such rotation of the threaded shaft operates through the threadedportions g h of the grinder-roll-supporting arms G H to move the lattertoward each other, and thereby constantly and uniformly move thegrinders toward and to act with a uniform and constant effect upon theknife,

it being remembered that the latter is set up screws 3.

secured the set-screw at is tightened and the rolls will-operate withthe adjusted force upon the knife.

It is necessary to sometimes vary the rela tive positions of thegrinder-rolls as regards the knife to vary the bevel of the knife-edge,and to accomplish this the gears g and h are secured to their commonshaft F" by the set- By loosening one or the other of said set-screwsand turning the shaft F the other gear will operate to rotate itscorresponding screw-threaded shaft E or E, as the case maybe, to raiseor lower the grinderroll controlled thereby. XVhen one roll has been setin the requisite position, the loose gear on the shaft F is tightenedthereupon and the other gear loosened, so that the other grinder-rollmay be set by rotation of the shaft f and after the second grinder-rollhas been positioned the spur-gear is tightened on the shaft FT. To morereadily and rapidly accomplish this adjustment without having re,-

course to the shaft f I provide hand-wheels g and h preferably securedto or forming part of the hubs of the gears 9 71. respectively, and thenby loosening the desired gear it can be rotated by its hand-wheelindependent of the shaft F to thereby raise or lower its correspondinggrinder roll. Obviously this latter mode of adjustment is more rapidthan by the slow motion derived from rota .tion of the shaft f andtransmission by the worm f and worm-gear F to the shaft F';. Either formof adjustment, however, may be employed to attain the desired result.

The various gears, worms, and worm-gears and the threaded sleevesemployed by me are so calculated as to set up the different parts of theapparatus at the proper speed to ac} complish the desired result, itbeing obvious that the setting up of the knife by meansof theknife-wheels and back plates and the adjustment of the grinder-rolls forwear will be very slow, only sufficient to maintain the traveling edgeof the knife in substantially the same path and to move thegrinder-rolls toward the knife at the rate of wear of said rolls.

My invention is not restricted to the precise construction andarrangement of parts herein-shown, for so far as I am aware it isbroadly new to provide means for automatically setting up the knife in amachine of the class described and to adjust the grindingrolls for wear.

Having described my invention,- what I claim, and desire to secure byLetters Patent, is P 1. In a leather-splitting machine, the endless,traveling knife, supporting means there for, and automatic means to setthe knife up and thereby maintain its edge substantially in a fixed pathof movement, substantially-as described.

2. In a leather-splitting machine, an endless, traveling knife,carrying-wheels thereless, I traveling knife travels, and means toautomatically move said wheels and back plates to setthe knife up andthereby maintain its edge substantially in a fixed path of movement,substantially as described.

3. In a leather-splitting machine, an end less,'tra-veling knife,carrying wheels therefor, bearings in which the wheel-journals arelongitudinally movable, back plates against which the-back of the knifetravels, and con tinuously-operating means having connections between itand the wheel-journals and the back plates, to automatically move thejournals and back plates in unison and there by set up the knife tomaintain its edge in substantially a fixed path of movement,substantially as described.

4. In a leather-splitting machine, an endless, traveling knife, supportstherefor, grinder-rolls to sharpen the knife-edge, upper and lower backplates against which the back of the knife travels, and means tosimultaneously set up the back plates to thereby maintain the edge ofthe knife in substantially a fixed path of travel and in position to beground, substantially as described.

5. In a leather-splitting machine, an endknife, supports therefor, grinder-rolls to sharpen the knife-edge, upper and lower back plates againstwhich the back tain the edge of the knife in substantially a fixed pathof travel and in position to be ground, combined with means toautomatically set up the grinder-rolls to act upon the knife-withuniform action, substantially as described.

6. In aleather-splitting machine, an endless, traveling knife,grinder-rolls to maintain the edge of the knife sharpened, and means toautomatically set up the knife to maintain its edge in substantially afixed path of travel and to simultaneously set up the grinder-rolls toact upon the knife with uniform pressure, substantially as described.

7. In a leather-splitting machine, the endless, traveling knife,supporting means therefor, two grinder-rolls, to act on opposite sidesof the knife, and means to automatically set up the said rollssimultaneously to operate continuously and with substantially uniformaction upon the knife, substantially as described.

' 8. In a leather-splitting machine, the endless, traveling knife,supporting means therefor, grinder-rolls to act upon the knife, and

means to automatically set up the knife and therebymaintain its edge insubstantially a fixed path of movement, substantially as de scribed.

9. In a leather-splitting machine, the endless, traveling knife,supporting means therefor, grinder-rolls to act upon the knife andmaintain the edge sharp, means to automatically set up said rollstocompensate for wear,

and means to adjust said rolls to vary the pressure thereof upon theknife, substantially as described.

10. In aleather-splitting machine, the endless, traveling knife,supporting means therefor, grinder-rolls to act upon the knife andmaintain the edge sharp, means to automatically set up said rolls tocompensate for wear, and manually-controlled devices to raise or lowersaid rolls independently, relatively to the knife, substantially asdescribed.

11. In 'a leather-splitting machine, an endless, traveling knife,supporting means therefor, grinder-rolls to act upon the knife andmaintain the edge sharp, means to automatically set up said rolls tocompensate for wear, manually-actuated means to adjust the rolls to varythe grinding action, and devices to independently vary the position ofthe rolls relatite to the knife.

12. In a leather-splitting machine, an endless, traveling knife, meansto automatically set the knife up to maintain its edge in substantiallya fixed path of movement, an actuating-shaft for said means, andvariablespeed mechanism intermediate said means and the actuating-shaft,substantially as described.

13. In less, traveling knife, means to move said wheels laterally,

a leather-splitting machine, an endknife-carrying wheels, back theknife, means to set the back plates up, connections between said wheelmoving and setting-up means, to operate the same in unison,detachably-connected mechanism to automatically actuate said means, anda manually-operated device to operate said means when said actuatingmechanism is disconnected, substantially as described.

14. In a leather-splitting machine, an endless, traveling knife,carrying-wheels therefor having journals longitudinally movable in theirbearin gs, means, including Wormgears and Worms, to move said journalslongitudinally in unison, and mechanism, including variable-speeddevices, to actuate said means, substantially as described.

15. In a leather-splitting machine, an end less, traveling knife, aplurality of back plates to set up the knife, a common actuator toadjust the back plates, connections between them' and the actuator, andmanually-controlled means to adjust the back plates independently.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses.

AMORY A. OHILSON.

plates for lVitnesses:

JOHN C. EDWARDs, LAURA T. MANIX.

